With WWE Crown Jewel taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, speculation was that a date for WrestleMania 43 would emerge.
The November 7 PLE would come and go without confirmation of a date for WrestleMania 43, despite past speculation that April 10 & 11 according to reports.
A lack of a date, with around five months to the likely show date, has been addressed by Dave Meltzer, who revealed “political jockeying” and AEW plans as a factor:
‘Political jockeying’
Originally reportedly planned for Nashville, WrestleMania 43 would be announced for Saudi Arabia as part of Riyadh Season during the 300th anniversary of the First Saudi state.
When it comes to why WrestleMania 43 is yet to have an official date confirmed, speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer would state:
“It’s all political jockeying.
“You want to not confirm it until… especially now, because they don’t have to sell tickets, so it’s like ‘ What’s the point in confirming it months ahead?’
“Normally, you would get the date so you could sell tickets and people can make arrangements to go and all that. That’s not even a deal on this show.
“So it’s just a question of they don’t want it out because, obviously, everyone expects Tony Khan to a competitive show head-to-head and they want to give him as little… I mean they’re going have to announce it a couple of months ahead, but they don’t want to announce it six months ahead. Who knows?”
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When it comes to that head-to-head, Tony Khan has previously indicated plans to run an AEW event in the Spring of next year.
The audience isn’t the normal WrestleMania audience
With WrestleMania being the jewel in WWE’s crown, the show, as with many major PLEs, attracts an international audience that is likely to be absent from next year’s outing.
As Meltzer notes, he doubts that a large number of fans will head to Saudi Arabia for next years show, noting:
“No-one now is going to buy tickets. Very very few people are going to buy tickets. Let’s say they announce April 10 & 11, how many people do you think in the United States, Canada, Mexico, even Europe are going to be rushing tomorrow to set up their flights?”
Over the past year, ticket costs for WWE PLEs have increased, with CM Punk taking aim at TKO’s Ari Emanuel with a call to reduce the prices.
Ticket prices aside, the ongoing situation in Saudi Arabia has seen the US State Department issue a Level 3 advisory, warning “Reconsider travel”.
Keeping AEW on its toes
Knowing that there will be a largely local audience for WrestleMania 43 and with TKO President Mark Shapiro noting that they had “been paid half upfront and received the funds from our partners in Saudi” for the event, WWE are seemingly in a strong position ahead of the PLE, although challenges still no doubt remain.
Keeping the date under wraps would mean that AEW would be unable to lock down a venue to counterprogram WrestleMania 43, assuming that is still under consideration. Stadiums and many arenas tend to be booked up well in advance, and accommodating a relatively short-notice booking may be out of the question.
Typically, WrestleMania brings with it a whole slew of independent wrestling shows and associated events, with fans travelling from across the world to attend, having an impact on the local economy with the influx of visitors, something that could very well happen, given enough time to plan, for AEW.
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